Family Matters
by percychased
Summary: Twenty- five drabbles, seven children, two parents, and one family. One for every connection, highlighting the happy moments, the not-so-happy moments, and every little bit in between. The Weasley family, all in chronological order. Now complete.
1. i

**1972**

It was an unusually cold April in the outskirts of Ottery St. Catchpole, where a crooked, magicially enforced house stood two stories high.

Twenty-two year old Molly Weasley was wrapped in shawls, leaning over the stove – there was so much warming charms could do even then. The aroma of potatoes wafted up from one of the pots, and she instantly recoiled. It certainly didn't smell too good – but why did she find it so unappealing? Usually she loved potatoes, she made them nearly every night. It must just be her imagination acting up on her, that's all.

_Crash. _

The kitchen floor shook, and Molly tensed up. Arthur was at work, it was just her and Bill, home alone under the protection of the wards… she dropped the spatula she was holding, exchanging it with her wand, and made her way up the stairs, slipping into her son's room.

Baby Bill, ever the gymnast, seemed to have reached between the bars of his crib, grabbing hold of the rocking chair arm and giggling delightedly as it rocked back and forth, banging against the wall.

Molly smiled at her infant son giggling, picking him up and rocking him in her arms. She couldn't wait to give Bill a little sibling, a younger brother or sister to play with.


	2. ii

**1972**, **_19 December_**

The first time Molly holds her second-born son in her arms, all she can do is wonder how soft he is. She could have ten children, fifteen, a whole Quidditch league, perhaps, and never, ever get tired of the first time she looks into her child's eyes, how innocent and simple he is. She marvels in the softness of his tiny little feet, baby fingers winding around one of her own, a soft patch of red hair smoothed over his head.

It was in these kinds of moments that she _knew _she was meant to be a mother. She would take care of this baby, protect it, cherish it, teach it. She would send him off to Hogwarts in eleven years and feel a bit bittersweet - her baby is leaving home, growing up.

Molly knows she'll make him jumpers every Christmas, including this one, just as her mother did with her. She'll raise him on delicious, home-cooked meals, with lots of siblings. She'll fawn over him and frown every time when he gets injured - Weasleys', they have a knack of getting themselves into trouble - and occasionally scold him for being too dangerous, because she really doesn't want her baby to get hurt.

But right now, she's cuddling baby Charlie in the crook of her arm and feeling joy incomparable to anything else in the whole entire world.


	3. iii

**1978**

There was very, very odd weather in what should have been the spring of 1978. Instead of a light spring breeze and flowers, there was a snowstorm. In April, of all times, too!

The day Molly respectively had her fourth and fifth children, the harsh winter wind was drafting throughout the house, and all three of the elder children were bundled up in jumper after jumper.

Two little boys with a dusting of red hair sat cradled in their mothers' arms, both quickly falling asleep.

"Fred," Molly said, smiling down softly at the little boy on the left. Molly handed him the one on the right.

"And George," finished Arthur, rocking his newborn son back and forth.


	4. iv

**1978**

Fred cried loudly, thrashing. Molly was out cold - exhausted, and he didn't blame her. Although Arthur didn't fancy the cold floors, he swung his feet out of the bed, happy to let his wife rest. That morning, they had welcomed two new sons to their family - Fred and George, identical twins.

Arthur entered the room the twins now shared. George was wide awake, staring silently with wide eyes up at the ceiling, seemingly mesmerized by it. Fred thrashed around, wailing loudly. Arthur carefully picked up his son - eight years after holding his first child, he was still extremely worried about dropping them - even though he hadn't ever.

"Fred," Arthur murmured, identifying him because of the _F _Molly had sewn onto his shirt later that evening.

Fred quieted, staring up at his father with wide, curious eyes.


	5. v

**1982**

Dear Dad,

I like Hogwarts and the classes - Transfiguration is my favorite so far - but I am really missing home. I miss baby Ginny and even Ron and Percy and the twins. It's fun here, but I miss my family too. I thought I would be happy to go away from all of you - but I'm wrong!

I have made friends, but I miss Charlie, because he's my closest friend.

From, Bill

P.S. Could you ask Mum to send some sweets, please?

Bill,

I felt the same way you did, son. As the Muggles say, there's an infinite spectrum of possibilities! You will see all of us at Christmas - and we all miss you too. Charlie's writing his own letter to you right now.

Just hold on, son - I promise it's not that hard. We'll see you at Christmas.

Love, Dad

P.S. The sweets are on the way.


	6. vi

**1983**

Molly had always seen Ron as a little more breakable than the rest.

Ginny was the rough-and-tumble kind, hyper and excited. Percy was always shut away in his own world, fascinated by the worlds in books. Charlie was particularly large for his age, and the twins nor Bill were breakable in any manner.

But Ron always seemed to react the most to the teasing of his siblings - most likely because he was the one most easily teased. His teddy bear taken, a few rather disgusting things set in between his bedsheets. The twins were most often the culprits, occasionally forming alliances with Charlie.

Perhaps she was spending more time attempting to stop the other ones from teasing Ron than actual time with him.


	7. vii

**1985**

Ginny sobbed, and continued hopping up and down, waving her arm in the air. She was trying to reach for her book off of the fireplance mantel, but she was _just too short! _

Ron waddled by, oblivious to what his sister was doing. Ginny kept jumping. Maybe if she just kept jumping, she could grow taller and reach her book! She couldn't wait to be taller!

"Ginny, what're you doing?"

"Billy!" she exclaimed, tugging on his leg. "Billy, I can't reach my book!" She pointed to where her storybook sat on the mantelpiece.

Being fifteen and two feet taller than her, he reached it easily and handed it to her. "There you go."

"Thank you!" she giggled.


	8. viii

**1986**

"George Fabian Weasley, just _what _exactly did you do with your brother, pray tell?"

"I'm Fred, mum!"

Molly put her hands on her hips and glared at the twin beneath her. "George Weasley, stop pretending to be your brother. _Where _is your brother?"

"Bill is in his bedroom, mum!"

"_George Fabian Weasley, _tell me where your brother _Ron_ is or you'll regret the day you were born."

The eight-year-old scampered up the stairs, knocking on the door of his own bedroom.

A head identical to his own popped out of the doorway. "Is it all clear, Georgie?"

"_Fred Gideon Weasley, _you get your backside out here!" Fred slipped out of the doorway, trying to grin toothily at his mother, who was red in the face standing out in the hallway.

"Where is your brother?" Molly asked angrily, and rather confused as the twins suddenly burst into giggles, not quite meeting her eye.

"_For the love of Merlin, where is Ron?"_

A high-pitched voice, confused, came from behind them. "Mummy," said Ron, standing right behind his mother and seemingly appearing out of nowhere, "I'm right here – Charlie was showing me how to ride a broom betterer!"

The twins grinned, exchanging a high-five.


	9. ix

**1986**

Six-year-old Ron Weasley squirmed in his bed. There was a chorus of Weasleys' snoring all around the house, and they were _way _too loud! He couldn't fall asleep. It was dark outside, and he knew Mummy would be mad if she saw him awake this late, but there was nothing he could do and it was so _loud! _

Maybe Ginny was up. Maybe he could play in secret with her! That would be lots of fun. Grabbing his orange blankie, the one he didn't go anywhere without, Ron opened the door, pattering down the hallway to Ginny's room.

He opened the door, as quiet as a mouse. Ginny was sleeping! How could she sleep through _all _of this noise?

"Ginny," he whispered, poking her side. She stirred in her sleep. "Ginny, wake up." Ginny blinked at her brother.

"Ronny, what're you here?" Ginny frowned at him, yawning and curling up with her teddy bear.

"I want to play," he said quietly. "And we _have _to be quiet, or Mummy will wake up!"

"Play? Ronny, we can't play, it's night!"

"Yes," Ron insisted, eyes comically wide, "we can! But we just have to be _really, really _quiet and keep it a secret!"


	10. x

**1987**

"Whatshat pot for, Charlie?" Ron asked curiously, leaning towards his older brother. Charlie had a pot held close to his face, yelling into it.

"Charlie, pots can't talk," Ron says, rolling his eyes as if it was a ridiculous idea to behold.

"I know pots can't talk," says Charlie, "but it's making an echo. C'mere."

"Ek-o?" Ron asked, struggling to pronounce the word.

"Echo, yeah," says Charlie. He holds the pot close to Ron's face. "Speak into it, Ron."

Ron hollers loudly into the piece of metal. A few seconds later, he grins widely. "It's like other mes are copying me!"

"An echo," Charlie says wisely.


	11. xi

**1991**

"Your mother is in quite the state, you know," Arthur commented worriedly, taking a sip of his tea. His second-eldest son mirrored him, taking a sip of his tea as well.

"She knows I'm not really gone," Charlie shrugs, "and anyways, I'll be back every Christmas, every Easter, every summer."

"It's her first child who has actually moved out, farther away than Diagon Alley," points out Arthur. "You're moving to _Romania _to work with _dragons. _It terrifies her, Charlie."

"I know," Charlie agreed, leaning back against the chair. "But it's also something I have to do. It's what I want to do."

"Your mother knows that," agreed Arthur, "but promise me one thing. If not for your own sake, then for your mother and I's sake. Don't get hurt."

"I won't," Charlie promised.


	12. xii

**1991**

Bill and Charlie had always been close to one another - they were the two eldest, the two role models. Head Boy and star student Bill and Charlie, captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

So it was a bit odd - for both of them - to have so much space between them. Bill was a continent and a world away, chasing danger and treasure as a Gringotts curse breaker in Egypt, while Charlie had made plans to intern at a secluded Romanian dragon reserve. They were far away, and neither had much of a knack for writing letters - once in a while they both wrote, if their mother had pestered them enough.

But every time a Christmas gathering, or a summer gathering they would meet again - and it would be as if nothing had changed. Charlie's still making temporary truces with the twins to bother Ron or Percy, and Bill's down in the kitchen, with Molly worrying herself over his appearance.

They go outside and play Quidditch on the slow brooms and Reparo-ed Quaffle, and it's like there isn't miles of space between them.


	13. xiii

**1995**

What a complete _idiot _his brother was.

Bill and Percy had always been a little close - Bill's closest brother behind Charlie, of course. While Bill wasn't as straight-laced as his younger brother was, he certainly understood Percy's hard-working, knowledge-seeking attitude; he was just like that at one point, too. They had their differences, but they were also pretty similar.

Now, however? Bill wasn't too sure if they were even brothers.

Weasley's were _family, _and family stuck together. Stood tall together. One thing the Weasley family never did was what Percy just did, not even a week to the day - turn their back on family, their own _flesh and blood, _for the corrupted, power-hungry Ministry.

It - Percy - was a futile cause now; Mum had went to go see him in London, but he had turned her away, slamming the door in her face. She was a mess for the next few hours, not even able to form full sentences. Dad was angry beyond belief, more than Bill had ever seen before. Ginny was upset, the mood of the rest of the house bringing her down.

He was holding a little faith, that maybe, just maybe, Percy the git would fix the holes he'd torn. Hopefully.


	14. xiv

**1996**

His brother looked like something out of a nightmare.

Ron commended his brother's bravery, of course - braving Fenrir Greyback was worthy of an Order of Merlin, in his opinion. But the torn flesh criss-crossing his face, scarring him, made him close to unrecognizable except for the basic features - the bright blue eyes, the shock of long red hair.

And there his Mum was, completely sure that the wedding would be called off. It's a surprise to everyone when Fleur argues back - she loves her fiance, scars or no scars, and certainly she's beautiful enough for the both of them? Everyone, including him, is pleasantly surprised with her exclamation.

A lingering though, deep inside the depths of his brain, wondered if anyone would care for him, love him despite the scars, if he were ever in that situation, just as Fleur was now. Ron doesn't notice his own eyes leave his brother's face for a moment and flicker to Hermione.

Bill, it seemed, _had _noticed the fleeting look Ron shot Hermione, lying there on his hospital bed with his family surrounding him, and winked at Ron.


	15. xv

**1996**

"I simply _cannot _believe you two! _Dropping out of Hogwarts to start a joke shop?! _Where, may I ask, did you even get the money - "

"Molly," Arthur protested weakly, but she continued ranting at her twin sons, who stood in the kitchen of the Burrow looking more than a little wary of the spatula Molly held threateningly.

"- for all of this _nonsense, _money that could certainly be put to better use! _Explain yourselves!" _

Fred and George shared a quick glance, both nodded.

"See, Mum," Fred started, but before he could even get past the first two words, Molly interrupted.

"_See Mum _what? You couldn't have perhaps, oh, _I don't know, _followed in the footsteps of your brothers and _graduated _and get respectable jobs?"

"Mum, if I could explain," said Fred calmy - the only way to get Molly Weasley even _more _angry was to argue back, and even though the twins had to be nearing a foot taller than their mother, she was still very, very terrifying.

"We're doing what we're meant to do. No disrespect intended, but the both of us aren't cut out for straight-laced Ministry jobs. Unfortunately, we can't all be carbon-copies of Percy."

"That's not who we are," George added.


	16. xvi

**1997**

"And what if? What if that happens? We don't know if he's - they're - okay, or if they're safe, and something's going to happen -"

Ginny's heavy rant was interrupted by her mother.

"I know," said Molly, in that special soft tone she rarely used.

"You know?" asked Ginny curiously.

"Of course I know," replied Molly gently. "Years ago, I never knew if your father was going to make it home from work. I watched the clock constantly; I still do. I know, Ginny, what it's like. To wait for the ones you love to come home. To worry if they're going to make it home. Ron is my son, and Harry and Hermione are both as good as. I would do anything for those kids, I would. I know what it feels like, Ginny."


	17. xvii

**1998**

There was an elephant in the room, and neither twin was willing to address it. Most likely because it was the last resort, and when they did it, it would because so much more _real. _Not that it wasn't before, though.

George sighed, leaning back against the banister in the flat on top of their shop.

"Are we going to?" He asked his twin.

"Going to what?" Fred questioned, but it was more of a delay than anything – Fred knew exactly what George meant.

"You know – close it down, for the time being," George winced like it was physicially painful.

"We should, shouldn't we…"

"Not like it's going to be closed forever," George shrugged. "We'll reopen it when this mess is done with." _If it's ever done. _

"Business is going down, anyways, 'cause everyone's in hiding," pointed out Fred. "I reckon we'll have to, George…"

"Trash it, make it look like the Death Eater's have already came in and said hello. Set up a few triggers just in case they decide to come snooping. Keep everything in the extra room in the flat."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Fred grinned wryly. "Play one last trick."


	18. xviii

_1998_

One moment, she's begging her mother to let her fight, because she can't just sit in the Room of Requirement and sip tea, right? Harry's giving her that look - and it feels so great to see him, after almost a year of worrying.

Next she's duelling Death Eaters, feeling so confident - they can do this, they can win this - and there's nothing like that rush of adrenaline, making her feel alive. She's fighting for what she believes in, what's right, and there's nothing better. Nothing at all, she thinks.

Then there's a ceasefire called, and everything stops for a moment. She's sure they're going to win - positivity, right? But she joins the rest of her family, and there seems to be one missing - but that's not possible, is it?

She sees him, her brother, lying on the ground and her heart stops cold. She isn't feeling as steady anymore.


	19. xix

**1998**

The truth, and no lies. No more lies to his family, or his friends, or anyone he's ever cherished, or anyone at all. Percy Weasley is done lying, lying to himself and everyone around him.

It's a few months after the Battle, and Percy came to another Sunday night dinner, just a little quieter than usual, just a little more subdued. More than a little quiet, actually - the only noise is asking for a bowl to be passed or to be excused from the table. It doesn't really feel like a Weasley family dinner - just a plain dinner, nothing more, nothing less.

After the awkward, brain-numbing silence, Percy's all ready and prepared to Floo to his flat in London, but to his surprise, his father pulls him away.

"I want the truth, Percy," he says, and Percy doesn't know how or why he knows, but his father just knows these things. Arthur knows that his son is still reluctant to see his family - and he wants to know why.

"Truth," Percy contemplates, "the truth." He laughs shortly and bitterly, like the word coming off of his tongue was oh-so-very foreign. And maybe it was.

"Why?" His father asks softly, barely a whisper.

"You're too good for me," Percy says, and the truth feels good - rewarding, refreshing. He isn't lying, not anymore.


	20. xx

**1998**

They both want to see in color again.

Percy _looks, _but he doesn't really _see._

The world, it seems, is still black and white to him. Simple and complicated. Hard and easy. He wants to know that there's something in the middle between the polar opposites. He wants to see the sun and the moon and the stars, but right now they're all black and white. He _wants _to care, but he doesn't know how.

George wants the color to _fade. _

The shocking oranges and electric blues and vibrant greens are driving him mad. They're little reminders of what's lost and never to be found. There's a brilliant array of colors, happy and content. But all George really wants to do is to see everything in simpler eyes. See them in black or white, what's fun and boring. No bittersweet, just either lovely or horrible.

They both know the other is suffering, and they both don't know how to help the other one see.


	21. xxi

**1999**

It seemed as though Charlie was always waiting.

Waiting to return back to Romania, to his dragons. Waiting for his next vacation time, time off to see his mum. He's always been waiting, and for what he doesn't exactly know.

He was also waiting for a brother who would never come back.

Charlie started Hogwarts when the twins were five years old, and from that point on, they weren't really all that close. Sure, they teased him and played pranks on him just as they did with Bill and Percy and Ron, but he didn't know them too well. They were kind of like... well, cousins.

He was just finishing up Hogwarts when the twins started school, and with Quidditch, homework and friends, did he really have time for his eleven-year-old trickster brothers? Not really.

After that, he graduated and applied to a dragon reserve in Romania - a rash decision prompted by feeling the need to live his own life, not his family's shadow.

He comes home every Christmas and the occasional summer, and at most, he sees his brothers, his sister and his parents twice a year, and only for around a week at a time.

Charlie was waiting for the inevitable to come; a war. Everyone who knew anything knew it was coming.

And then he's waiting, sucking in a breath as he walks into the Great Hall with most of his family - there's only seven, two are missing - and something doesn't feel too right. Ron runs in, and there's only one gone and George is sobbing -

When Charlie's grieving, he's not grieving over someone who he knew like the back of his hand. He's grieving over someone who he didn't know, someone who he wanted to know - his own brother. He's waiting to get to know him - his dead brother. And for that, he'll always be waiting.


	22. xxii

**1999**

There's a piece of George missing. More than a little piece, but half of his being entirely.

Ron notices. The _George, _the _real _George, has seemingly disappeared to Merlin-knows-where, and it doesn't look like he's returning anytime soon.

Ron helps at the shop because it's busy - people are happy and celebrating, yet the owner of the joke shop (not plural anymore) isn't, and Ron finds that slightly ironic.

He wants to help his brother, but he doesn't know how. So he stocks, sits at the cash and watches. Working there, a place with vibrant and bright colors, drags him down. Because in there, it's _FredandGeorge. GeorgeandFred. _Not just George, or George and Ron. It's _FredandGeorge, _that place. It's supposed to be the two of them, working side by side.

But one's missing, and a piece of the one remaining is missing.

And Ron doesn't know what to do.


	23. xxiii

**2000**

"Don't wait for her, mate."

George turned, shocked, towards his older brother. Charlie rarely visited home, and often prefered to communicate through actions rather than words, so it wasn't very often that they spoke face-to-face.

"What?"

"I see the way you look at Angelina," Charlie said wisely. "Stopped by the store when I was there, remember?"George _did _remember – that was yesterday.

"She's just my friend, that's all," George protested weakly, but Charlie overrided his statement by giving him an are-you-kidding-me sort of look. Charlie knew there was more to them, to George and Angelina, more than an I-like-you-more-than-a-friend way.

"No, she isn't, mate," Charlie said, rather softly compared to his usual strong tone, and George caught on that maybe, maybe he was speaking from experience. "She's isn't _just your friend, _and you know it. So get off your arse and do _something _about it, because the chance isn't going to last forever."


	24. xxiv

**2001**

Audrey is the most stunning woman Percy has ever seen in his life, and he's pretty sure this is the happiest day of his life - the day Audrey became his wife.

The reception was buzzing with chatter, the guests congratulating the bride and groom. Percy felt a warm, familiar hand on his shoulder, and turned around to the sobbing of his mother.

"My Percy's married now," she murmured, sniffling. Molly pulled him close, despite the fact that he was almost a foot taller than her, coddling him.

"Mum," Percy muttered, slightly uncomfortable, cheeks tinging pink.

"All grown up," she said, a little sadly. "Not my baby boy anymore."

"Mum..."

"Now, you go enjoy your first dance with your wife," she instructed quickly, confusing Percy with the quick change in demeanor. "But you have to save your last dance for your mother."


	25. xxv

**2003 _- 24 December_**

Ginny's like their mother in miniature, and Charlie has to resist the urge to laugh at his twenty-two-year-old sister's coddling.

"Charlie, one day you're going to burn to a crisp, and those bloody Healers won't be able to help," she comments, seeing him for the first time in six months. There's a shiny new burn trailing down his arm, from where he was a bit too cocky with a newborn dragon and the baby decided to attempt to cook Charlie with fire.

"Do you purposely jump in front of dragons that breathe fire?"

She's just like their mother, as much as she denies it.

"Only to impress the ladies at the reserve," he says smartly, and Ginny rolls her eyes at him.

"Considering the fact that you're a 'life-long bachelor', it's evident that that didn't work," she laughs - it's probably her third time in two minutes teasing him about his lack of a romantic life.

"We can't all have an obsession with our future spouse at the age of ten," he jokes, watching Ginny scowl.

"It wasn't an obsession, just a crush," she corrects.

"It wasn't an obsession," Charlie mocks, "just a complete and utter infatuation."


End file.
